Auto, realty outshine jewellery sale this Dasara in Thane

NASHIK: Riding high on festive demand, the real estate and automobile sectors recorded brisk business in the city on Thursday. However, the same could not be said for the jewellery sale, which failed to find much favour with the buyers on Dasara.

Sources said the real estate sale increased by 30 per cent on Darasa this year against the sale on the same day last year. Around 100 flats worth Rs 30 crore were booked as against 75 flats amounting to Rs 25 crore on the festive occasion last year. However, no new residential projects were launched in the city. The automobile sector also saw brisk business with passenger car and MUV segment registering 30 per cent rise in the sale. Even motorcycle and scooter segments recorded 80 per cent hike in the sale on Dasara this year as compared to the sales last year. The jewellery sales, just like last year, stayed flat.

Speaking to TOI, Jayesh Thakkar, president, Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association of India (Credai) Nashik, said, "Realty sector regained its lost sheen this festive season. Around 100 flats worth Rs 30 crore were booked across the city on the auspicious day. However, no new projects were launched since there is already a good supply in the market. The rates of residential properties are stable. People, who were waiting for the past two years considering that rates of flats may reduce, have started buying properties."

Vipul Nerkar, director, Nerkar Properties, said, "I got booking of two flats on the occasion of Dasara. This is a right time for the consumers to buy properties since the prices have stabilised."

According to sources, the automobile sector, which had been reeling under slowdown for the past two-three years, witnessed a 35 per cent rise in the sale of passenger cars and Multi-Utility Vehicle (MUV) segments with sales rising from 450 units on Dasara day last year to 600 units valued at Rs 30 crore this year. The passenger car maker Maruti Suzuki reportedly sold around 250 units through its three outlets in the city, while rest of the units were from Hyundai, Ford, Chevrolet, Honda, Toyota, Skoda, Mahindra & Mahindra and others. Around six units of luxury cars from Mercedes Benz and Audi amounting to Rs 3.50 crore were sold out in the city on Dasara.

Around 2,200 motorcycles and scooters worth around Rs 13.50 crore were sold on Thursday, against the sale of 1,200 units on Dasara last year. Hero MotoCorp Ltd (formerly Hero Honda Motors Ltd) alone sold 1,200 units, while rest of the units were sold by Honda Motorcycles, Bajaj Auto, Mahindra & Mahindra, TVS motor, Suzuki, Yamaha and others, the sources told TOI.

There are total 5,000 small and large jewellery showrooms across the district, including 1,000 shops in the limit of the Nashik Municipal Corporation. There alone close to 250 shops at the major jewellery market Saraf Bazaar in the city. Speaking to TOI, Rajendra Odhekar, president of Nashik Jewellers' Association, said, "There had been no rise in gold jewellery business on Dasara. The ratio of business of both gold ornaments and bars was 50:50."